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Health service reforms to crack down on consultants

THE GOVERNMENT is planning a crackdown on the consultants working in public hospitals, as part of major revamp of the health sector to be unveiled this week.

Among other things, the 1,750 consultants will be asked to limit private-sector work. The specialist doctors came in for damning criticism in three expert reports on the country’s ailing health service due to be discussed by cabinet on Tuesday.

The government is expected to endorse several recommendations contained in the reviews, embarking on a wide-reaching remake of the sector. Health services have gobbled money over the past decade, without delivering noticeably improved services. One of the reports recommends that hospital consultants should sign exclusive contracts with the state while another says they work longer hours in the public service. Some 1,000 extra specialists should be hired to give around-the-clock cover and reduce overtime bills by junior doctors.